Where to Eat in Paris
I can attest that Paris is the food capital of the world! The city alone has over 100 Michelin starred restaurants. While French food is one of the most refined cuisines in the world, Paris is no stranger to international chefs and restaurants.
Quite a few people I know and I’ve come across have said during their stays in the love capital that they could not find a good meal. Now this topic is 100% subjective depending on peoples tastes & preferences, dietary restrictions, and budget. If you are looking for gluten free, dairy free, vegan and vegetarian meals, your options may be limited; but for those who are all in for indulgences, look no further.
I have not eaten at a Michelin star restaurant or had a €€€€ meal, but the meals that I did have are tried and true and would definitely recommend!
When searching for Cheap Eats in Paris, a BuzzFeed article came up, that listed Du Pain et des Idées and their Insta-worthy croissants popped up. Their signature creation, chocolate escargot pistachio croissants is one of the city’s greatest attractions. While the croissant is the talk of the town, they are a full fledged bakery, shelling out savory and sweet baked goods. While you will often encounter a line out of the shop, the line moves quickly and there’s picnic seating outside so you can sit down and enjoy your baked goods.
If you are near the Eiffel Tower, or near the 7th Arrondissement, Cafe Gustave is roughly a 5 minute walk away. Here is where I had my first try of escargot. I only tried one, and that was enough to say I did it. They had the texture of a chicken gizzard, but still very flavorful from the garlic-butter sauce.
Cafe Gustave is a great dinner spot and can hold a decent crowd. Like most restaurants here, they provide outdoor seating, and heat lamps in the colder months.
Au Pied de Cochon, translates in English to pig’s foot. So, this restaurant is a pork specialty, and they’re famous for their grilled pig’s feet. I unfortunately did not order pig’s feet, however their menu is quite extensive offering beef, fish, soups, salads, and an extensive dessert menu so there should be something for everyone. I made a special trip here to try their famous French onion soup. Again, this was another first for me, because I’d never had French onion soup before, but boy am I glad I had it here.
While it is open 24/7, Au Pied de Cochon gives off the vibe of “business men who lunch” and screams opulence.
After every meal, they provide pink meringues in the shape of a pig along with coffee as a cute memento.
Chez Papa, located in the 9th Arrondissement is a great bar and restaurant that made me feel like a local. I was welcomed with a huge smile as soon as I walked in the door, and I felt at home, like family. There are a couple of high tables in the back, good for large parties, but like most restaurants here, seating is set for 1 - 3 people per table. We had 8 people in our party and service was great.
We ordered 50 centiliter bottles of wine (equivalent to a bottle of 4 glasses) here for roughly €14 — which is a win by my standard.
Obviously because Italy and France are neighbors, there will be an influx of Italian inspiration, thus Italian cuisine in France. I had a hankering for pasta, and not just any pasta, but good pasta in Paris. I headed over to Enza & Famiglia Trattoria Pasta in the 2nd Arrondissement, steps away from The Louvre. Enza has great pasta, pizza, wine, and a hearty antipasta selection. Indoor seating is limited to maybe 12 seats, and there are just as many seats outside. They do however offer takeaway.
I two new dishes here, their famous truffle pasta, and tiramisu.
Y’all! I never knew au gratin was a real thing. And a French thing at that. Colored me surprised when I walked in to Bistro des Augustins and saw potatoes au gratin all over the menu. FOR YEARS my mom has cooked potatoes au gratin, and I’ve called them cheesy potatoes. Bistro des Augustins is the real deal. Everything on their menu is indulgent, filled with cheese and cream. It is not vegan or dairy free, but there are quite a few vegetarian options. Besides gratin, they serve cheese plates, salads, sandwiches, and has an extensive wine and bar menu.
This restaurant is cozy as well, with maybe 12 - 15 seats inside, and at most 10 seats outside. I opted to sit outside facing the Seine river and vendors selling their artwork.
I ordered the fermier which came sizzling in an bake-safe dish with chicken, cream, cheese, herbs, vegetables, potatoes, and topped with grated cheese. I waited at least 5 minutes before it stopped bubbling oozey, cheesy goodness.
Now the only place that I was not blown away by was the boutique bakery, L'Éclair de Génie. This e’clair shop did not wow me, sadly. While the presentation is beautiful and the e’clairs are beautifully designed and decorated for a whopping €6 each, they all tasted the same to me. I dunno, maybe because I ordered similar flavors (pistachio, chocolate, and vanilla pecan) that’s why they tasted so similar.
When you go, let me know what you think! I’d be happy to try another flavor.
If you ever begin to miss Western greasy spoons, head over to Holybelly 5, not to be mistaken for their Holybelly 19 location, which offers a more extensive and cafe-like menu. HB5 was as close as I could fine to an American breakfast, when I missed home. The all day breakfast menu is limited, but you can find the simple things like pancakes (not crepes), eggs your way, bacon, hash browns, drip coffee, and a French bread basket.
Prices here are a little steep with a short stack of 3 plain pancakes starting at €9 or almost $10 USD.
